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ParaNorman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Film score by Jon Brion
Released	August 14, 2012
Recorded	2011–2012
Genre	Film score
Length	65:34
Label	Relativity Music Group
Jon Brion chronology
The Future (2011) ParaNorman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2012) This is 40 (2012)

ParaNorman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 2012 stop motion animated comedy horror film ParaNorman, directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler for Laika. The film's original score is composed by Jon Brion which was based on his compositions for previous films which were used as temp tracks. The score album was released through Relativity Music Group on August 14, 2012.

Development

In June 2011, it was announced that Jon Brion would compose music for ParaNorman. Fell and Butler storyboarded the few pages of the script and used the themes from the soundtrack of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) which fit the film. He described as Brion as a "mad scientist", further adding "just like us, he's into old tech/new tech, and that's exactly what we're doing visually". Besides Eternal Sunshine, Brion used his themes from the previous films as temp tracks and curated the score based on them. For the score, he used a EMS VCS3 synthesizer, which was notably used by John Carpenter.

Release

The soundtrack was announced on July 23, 2012, with the complete track list being unveiled. Relativity Music Group published the soundtrack on August 14, 2012. A vinyl edition of the album was published by Mondo and released on April 19, 2014, in conjunction with the Record Store Day.

Critical reception

Chrysta Cherrie of AllMusic described it as "a Frankenstein's monster-like mish-mash of kid-friendly chills and silly camp, synthesized through Brion's high-concept eccentricity." John Hazelton of Screen International wrote "Jon Brion provides a suitably off-kilter score." Justin Chang of Variety "Jon Brion's playfully creepy score nails the pic’s tone." Dylan Chester of The Film Stage called it as "John Carpenter-esque". Tasha Robinson of The A.V. Club reviewed that the score "provides for more variety". Jeff Meyers of Metro Times called it as a "shrewd and spirited score, which subverts horror genre expectations".

Track listing

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

• Music composer, producer and conductor – Jon Brion
• Arrangements – Kevin Kaska
• Recording and mixing – Greg Koller
• Mastering – Stephen Marsh
• Music editor – Eric Caudieux
• Assistant engineer – Paul Pritchard
• Auricle programming – Andy Glen
• Contractor – Isobel Griffiths
• Assistant contractor – Jo Buckley, Lucy Whaley
• Supervising contractor – Kevin Kaska
• Studio management – Colette Barber
• Production manager – Charlene Ann Huang

Release history

Accolades

References

1. McClintock, Pamela (June 14, 2011). "Jon Brion to Score Focus' Animated Film 'ParaNorman'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 23, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
2. Goldberg, Matt (June 14, 2011). "Jon Brion to Score Laika's 3D Stop-Motion Animated Feature PARANORMAN". Collider. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
3. Taylor, Drew (August 14, 2012). "'ParaNorman' Directors Chris Butler & Sam Fell Talk '80s Horror, The Creepiness Of Stop Motion & Working With Jon Brion". IndieWire. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
4. Pelly, Jenn (July 23, 2012). "Jon Brion to Release Soundtrack Album for Animated Kids Film ParaNorman". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 27, 2012. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
5. Taylor, Drew (July 24, 2012). "Soundtrack Details For Jon Brion's Score For Ghoulish Animated Film 'ParaNorman'". IndieWire. Archived from the original on May 31, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
6. Fact (July 23, 2012). "Super-producer Jon Brion's score for animated film ParaNorman to be released". Fact Magazine. Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
7. Billboard Staff (March 20, 2014). "Record Store Day Unveils 2014 Releases: David Bowie, Jay Z, Coldplay, Haim + More". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 8, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
8. Barkan, Jonathan (April 13, 2014). "Mondo Opens Up About 'Coraline' And 'Paranorman' Vinyl Releases". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
9. Cherrie, Chrysta. "Review: ParaNorman [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
10. Hazelton, John (August 3, 2012). "ParaNorman". Screen International. Archived from the original on September 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
11. Chang, Justin (August 3, 2012). "ParaNorman". Variety. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
12. Chester, Dylan (August 13, 2012). "[Review] ParaNorman". Archived from the original on July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
13. Robinson, Tasha (August 16, 2012). "ParaNorman". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
14. Meyers, Jeff (August 16, 2012). "ParaNorman". Detroit Metro Times. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
15. Brion, Jon. ParaNorman (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Media notes). Relativity Music Group.
16. Brion, Jon (August 14, 2012). "The Boxtrolls (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Relativity Music Group. Archived from the original on September 14, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2024 – via Apple Music.
17. "ParaNorman – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2XLP". Mondo. April 19, 2014. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
18. IFMCA (2013). "2012 IFMCA Awards". IFMCA. Archived from the original on March 7, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
19. Terence, Johnson (February 18, 2013). "International Film Music Award Nominations highlight 'Cloud Atlas' and 'Life of Pi'". AwardsCircuit. The Awards Circuit, LLC. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2020.

• 2012 soundtrack albums
• Jon Brion albums
• Animated film soundtracks